Digital Marketing Direction: Accessibility & Ease of Use

By Erica Wenham, Tuesday 30 October, 2012.

Digital Technologies For Marketing (Week 6)

Accessibility essentially means “ease of use” – How easy is each website to use for all types of customers? How can it be used for those with visual impairments or other disabilities?

However, web accessibility is  not just about reaching disabled consumers. Web accessibility can be applicable for people with any difficulties, requirements and needs (e.g. slow internet connection, temporary disabilities such as broken arm, understanding difficulties etc.) accessing the internet. By implementing effective accessibility usage for the website, users can benefit  in order to “perceive, understand, navigate and interact” with the website easily (w3.org). “According to current figures, disabled users currently make up around 10% to 20% of the population in most countries” (sitepoint, 2002). Accessibility for these users must be effectively implemented throughout the website as the business is looking at reaching a third of their market.

Web accessibility is about ensuring the website is easily accessible to all Internet users (disabled and non-disabled) and all types of browsing technology customers use (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc.) The future of the internet is also rapidly growing so it is essential the website can be accessible for mobiles, PDAS, tablets etc. (this can be achieved through downloadable website apps for example).

“Web accessibility incorporates several types of disabilities or problems that hinder web access. These range from including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological issues” (credoe, 2008).

By guaranteeing an easily accessible website, the business can reap huge benefits. As customers do not all use the same web browser,  it is important images, flash technology, graphics, JavaScript etc. all work well with each browser.

Websites have experienced problems with accessibility before where a visitor may look through the website and decides to buy something or sign up to a newsletter (for example), but the format is not easily accessible so they click away and the business loses out on a potential customer. To avoid this from happening, correct formats and accessibility needs to be put into place.

Website users generally do not spend a lot of time reading through various web pages as this can become tedious and cause them to exit from the website. Customers like to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible, scroll through pages and notice items which stand out. As a result, it is important for website to include bold headings, links, descriptive text, graphics etc.